Hibiscus plant named ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Hibiscus  plant named ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’ is disclosed, characterized by golden orange-yellow blooms with magenta base. Plants have a low growing, upright habit, and dark, narrow, glossy foliage that is resistant to leaf spot disease. Flowering is early and continuous. The new variety is a  Hibiscus , typically produced as an ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis.

Variety denomination: ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Hibiscus cultivar is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor, Peter Lim. The objective of the breedingprogram was to produce vigorous Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cultivars withhealthy foliage. The cross resulting in this new variety was made Jul.1, 2012.

The seed parent is the unpatented Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘Luau LilikoiYellow’. The pollen parent is the unpatented variety Hibiscusrosa-sinensis ‘Spin the Bottle’. The new variety was identified andselected as a potentially interesting selection in September 2014.Selection was made at a commercial nursery in Vista, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’ was firstperformed on Sep. 11, 2014 in Vista, Calif., by vegetative cuttings.Subsequent propagation has shown that the unique features of thiscultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’ as a new and distinct Hibiscuscultivar:

-   -   1. Golden orange-yellow blooms with magenta base.    -   2. Early blooming.    -   3. Low growing, upright plant habit.    -   4. Constant flowering.    -   5. Dark green, glossy foliage that is resistant to leaf spot        disease.

PARENT COMPARISONS

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’ are similar to the seed parent‘Luau Lilikoi Yellow’, in most horticultural characteristics. However,characteristics of the new cultivar differ in the following:

-   -   1. The new variety blooms earlier than the seed parent.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’ are similar to the pollenparent ‘Spin the Bottle’, in most horticultural characteristics.However, characteristics of the new cultivar differ in the following:

-   -   1. Flowers of the new variety have more evenly spaced and formed        petals.    -   2. The new variety blooms earlier than the pollen parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’ are similar in some horticulturalcharacteristics to the variety Hibiscus ‘Social Butterfly’, unpatented.The new variety, however, differs in the following:

-   -   1. Flowers of ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’ are smaller than flowers of ‘Social        Butterfly’.    -   2. Plants of ‘Social Butterfly’ have a taller growth habit than        ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’.    -   3. Flowers of ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’ are orange-yellow with a magenta        base, while flowers of ‘Social Butterfly’ are pink, fuchsia,        yellow, and white.

Plants of ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’ are similar in some horticulturalcharacteristics to the variety Hibiscus ‘Early Spring’, unpatented. Thenew variety, however, differs in the following:

-   -   1. Flowers of ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’ are smaller than flowers of ‘Early        Spring’.    -   2. Plants of ‘Early Spring’ have a taller growth habit than        ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’.    -   3. Flowers of ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’ are orange-yellow with a magenta        base, while flowers of ‘Early Spring’ are pink with a yellow        edge, and white eyes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates in full color a typical flowerof ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’ from a plant grown outdoors at a commercial nursery inVista, Calif. The photograph was taken using conventional techniques andalthough colors may appear different from actual colors due to lightreflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographictechniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2007, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe a ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’ plant. This plant was grownat a commercial nursery in Vista, Calif. The growing temperature rangedfrom about 7° C. to 30° C. during the day and from about 5° C. to 12° C.during the night. No artificial light, photoperiodic treatments weregiven to the plants. Measurements and numerical values representaverages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’.

PROPAGATION

-   Typical method: Hardwood stem cuttings.-   Root description: Roots are fine, fibrous and well branched.    Tan/brown in color, not effectively measured with a color chart.

PLANT

-   Plant type: Tender, woody flowering shrub.-   Age of plant described: Approximately 2 years old.-   Growth habit: Upright and compact.-   Height: 50 cm.-   Plant spread: 68 cm.-   Branching characteristics: 2 to 4 breaks from a pinch, occurring at    acute angles.-   Length of primary lateral branches: 15 to 35 cm.-   Quantity of lateral branches: About 8 to 12.-   Characteristics of primary lateral branches:    -   -   Diameter.—Average range 9 mm to 15 mm.        -   Color.—New growth near RHS Green 143B, flushed Greyed-Purple            183B, mature growth near RHS Greyed-Green 197B, striated            Grey-Brown N199A.        -   Texture.—New growth very slightly hirsute, older growth            striated.-   Internode length: 2 to 3 cm.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Quantity.—Approximately 20 per branch.        -   Average length.—8 to 9 cm, excluding petiole.        -   Average width.—6 to 7 cm.        -   Shape of blade.—Obovate.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Entire, few very shallow and infrequent crenations            toward apex.        -   Texture of top surface.—Glabrous.        -   Texture of bottom surface.—Glabrous.        -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: RHS Green 137A. Young            foliage under side: RHS Green 137C. Mature foliage upper            side: RHS Green 137A. Mature foliage under side: RHS Green            137B.        -   Venation.—Type: Pinnate. Venation color, upper side: RHS            Green 138A. Venation color, under side: RHS Yellow-Green            144A.        -   Petiole.—Length: 3 to 3.5 cm. Diameter: 3 to 4 mm. Color:            RHS Green 137B, base flushed Greyed-Purple 183A. Texture:            Upper surface very slightly pubescent, lower surface            glabrous.        -   Stipule.—Shape: Narrow deltoid. Length: 5 to 6 mm. Width:            3 mm. Color: Upper side: Near RHS Green 138B. Upper side:            Near RHS Green 138C. Texture: Slight rough pubescence.

FLOWER

-   Natural flowering season: Late Spring through Summer.-   Flower type and habit: Solitary, rotate.    -   -   Single, double, multiplex.—Single.        -   Petals overlapping.—Strongly overlapping.-   Rate of flower opening: 1 to 2 days from bud to fully opened flower.-   Flower longevity on plant: 1 to 2 days.-   Persistent or self-cleaning: Self-cleaning.-   Bud:    -   -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Length.—5 cm.        -   Diameter.—2.2 cm.        -   Color.—RHS Yellow-Green 145C, lightly flushed Red 51C.-   Flower size:    -   -   Diameter.—12 cm.        -   Depth.—7 cm.-   Petals:    -   -   Quantity.—5.        -   Arrangement.—Whorled, strongly overlapping, changing to            moderately overlapping at full maturity.        -   Length.—9 cm.        -   Width.—8 cm.        -   Shape.—Broad spatulate.        -   Apex.—Obtuse rounded with moderate ruffles and shallow            crenations.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire, moderate ruffling.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, slightly rugose            on lower half.        -   Color.—When opening, upper surface: RHS Orange 24A, basal            blotch (forming flower eye) Red-Purple 58A, flushed N57A.            When opening, lower surface: RHS Orange 25B, basal blotch            faintly flushed Red-Purple 59C. Fully opened, upper surface:            RHS Yellow-Orange 23A, flushed 22A. Basal blotch (forming            flower eye) Red 53C, flushed N57A. Fully opened, lower            surface: RHS Orange 26B, flushed 26A. Basal section, flushed            near Red 54C, faint streaks near Red-Purple 61A. Ratio of            basal blotch/eye to petal size: About 20% of petal blade            blotched. Feathering color: RHS White 155A. Feathering size:            Slight, about 15 mm long.-   Sepals:    -   -   Quantity.—5.        -   Length.—2.0 cm.        -   Width.—2 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Color.—Upper surface: RHS Yellow-Green 144B. Lower surface:            RHS Green 143C.        -   Texture.—Lower surface very short hirsute, upper surface            glabrous.-   Epicalyx:    -   -   Quantity of bracts.—5.        -   Bract length.—1.5 cm to 2 cm.        -   Bract width.—5 to 7 mm.        -   Bract shape.—Narrow deltate.        -   Bract margin.—Entire.        -   Color.—RHS Yellow-Green 144B upper surface, Green 143B lower            surface.        -   Texture.—Glabrous all surfaces.-   Peduncles:    -   -   Length.—5.5 cm to 7 cm.        -   Diameter.—3 to 4 mm.        -   Angle.—Approximately 45° to the lateral branch.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Texture.—Roughly pubescent.        -   Color.—RHS Yellow-Green 144A. Very small basal flush near            Greyed-Purple 187A.-   Fragrance: None.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Stamens:    -   -   Number.—About 50.        -   Filament length.—4 to 6 mm.        -   Filament color.—Near RHS Red 52C.-   Anthers:    -   -   Shape.—Irregular sphere.        -   Length.—About 2 mm.        -   Color.—Near RHS Yellow 9A.        -   Pollen color.—Near RHS Orange 26A.        -   Pollen amount.—Scant.-   Pistil:    -   -   Number.—1.        -   Length.—7 cm.        -   Style.—Length: 6.8 cm. Color: Lower section near RHS            Red-Purple N57B, upper section near Red-Purple 58D. Highly            iridescent throughout.        -   Stigma.—Shape: Peltate. Color: Near RHS Red 46A.        -   Ovary color.—Near RHS Yellow-Green 145C.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Seeds: Not observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Observed resistance to leaf spot    disease(assumed Pseudomonas syringae). No other resistance nor    susceptibility to normal diseases and pests of Hibiscus    rosa-sinensis have been observed.-   Temperature tolerance: USDA Zones 8 through 11.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus plantnamed ‘ALTEARLYBIRD’ as herein illustrated and described.